multigenerational

Grandma’s house isn’t only a great place to visit. For a growing number of children, it’s a great place to move in during bad economic times. A new report from the Pew Research Center, “At Grandmother’s House We Stay“, found that grandparents were the primary caregivers for more than 3 million children in 2011, a 20 percent increase from a decade earlier. According to Pew, those numbers surged between 2007 and 2009, in the midst of the Great Recession. Contest: …

For many years, we’ve thought of the “sandwich generation” as people who are taking care of older parents while raising young children of their own. But that seems to be changing. Many people today are taking care of their moms and dads- and, increasingly, their grown kids who still need financial help. So even though their nests are empty, their wallets are quickly emptying too. According to a new Pew Research Center report released today: Nearly half (47%) of adults age 40-59 have a parent 65 or …

After a few days at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), I feel like I’ve been virtually dipped in technology. There are 1.9 million net square feet of more than 3,250 exhibitors showing off their new technologies, with some 20,000 new products launched. I’ve seen gadgets, gizmos and robots. Audio, video, cellular, wifi. Cars, games, toys, health supports, exercise equipment, appliances, “connected” homes, cameras and music. Some companies talk about their target audiences, including kids, teens, young adults, moms, men …

Sure, the sour economy over the last four years pushed generations of families to live together under one roof and share household expenses. But if a new trend is to be believed, this way of life is no longer simply a temporary response to a rough economy. Today home builders are making homes with extra rooms and features that accommodate extended families – from grandparents and their adult children to toddlers and teens. Lennar, one the country’s biggest home builders, told …

I was pleased to be included as an expert in a recent NBC Nightly News three-part series on caregiving. The series culminated in a segment in which I was interviewed about multigenerational living. After many years of working with multigenerational families, and now that I, too, live in a multigenerational household with my parents and their live-in caregiver, I’ve learned a lot. Here’s a roundup of my tips for those of you in similar situations – or those of you …

Editor’s note: This post follows the first in this two-part series, Multigenerational Living on the Rise. These posts are modified from Amy Goyer’s article, Multigenerational Living is Rising, and May be to Everyone’s Benefit in the September/October 2011 issue of the American Society on Aging’s Aging Today. Those living in multigenerational households admit there are challenges that come with this living arrangement, but most say the benefits outweigh them. Financial reasons are often cited as the primary motivator for multigenerational …